Top 20 Greatest TV Theme Songs of All Time
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- Опубліковано 18 бер 2022
- These are the theme songs that get us excited to watch our favorite TV shows! For this list, we’ll be ranking the catchiest and most enduring theme songs to hit the small screen. We’ll be including both instrumental themes, as well as songs with lyrics, but saving animated programs for another day. Our countdown includes "The Brady Bunch" (1969-74), "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990-96), "Sesame Street" (1969-), "The X-Files" (1993-2002; 2016-18), and more! What’s YOUR favorite TV theme song? Let us know in the comments!
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What’s YOUR favorite TV theme song? Let us know in the comments!
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Family Guy 😎
Probably "Full House" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
For cartoon theme Songs you need a top 20 for each Dekade, 80s 90s 2000s 2010s and maybe pre 80s
My 5 Favorite TV Theme Songs that surprisingly didn't get an honorable mention in this video:
1. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
2. Perfect Strangers
3. The Greatest American Hero
4. Law & Order
5. Welcome Back, Kotter
@@kenterminateddq5311 i liked maybe 5 of the 20 theme Songs here
Almost forty years later and I"m STILL randomly belting out the 'Greatest American Hero' theme song!
Thank you!!
OMG, yes! Believe it or not, I'm walking on air... :D
Same.
I somehow knew they'd forget it, but it absolutely should have been on the list.
I was listening to it the other day
I miss when TV shows had theme songs.
Me too, now they merely show the title card briefly, or have a brief musical overture.
The good ol days
Peacemaker has a good theme song
Or rather; GOOD theme songs.
@@trinaq Stranger Things is exactly this. But it's great that way.
I've watched The Sopranos series several times and I NEVER skip that theme. Gets me pumped every time
The theme to 'Hill Street Blues'...hands down. Made it a point to never miss the opening of this show just for the song. 'The Jeffersons' is a very close second.
Be careful out there!
Let's do it to them, before they do it to us.
Don't forget Doctor Who. This one has an epic tune that works for 60 years now and still gives me goosebumps.
Yes, and who could forget 'Jessica' from Topgear?
Best theme ever!
Yeah, I thought the same thing but they were only focusing on US TV shows.
How could they forget Unsolved Mysteries. Scared me as a kid, scares me as an adult.
Well maybe WatchMojoUK will do a video of British theme tunes.
I would add the "Mission Impossible" theme. Iconic!!
Hard to believe that didn't make the list!
@@scottslotterbeck3796 - I know! 😯
I totally forgot about that one! I also think Hawaii Five - 0 should have at least made an honorable mention.
@@karenhall4645 - Yes! That one too!
What about Star Trek?
I like the ones that you mentioned, but there are some that I think just as highly about: Lawman, Hawaii 5-0, Secret Agent Man, Welcome Back Kotter, The Andy Griffith Show, BorderTown, Hill Street Blues, Green Acres, ABC's Wide World of Sports, Batman, The Green Hornet, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Doctor Who,The Lone Ranger, etc
MMPR was so catchy, Game of Thrones, Star Trek.
Those snubs come to mind immediately
HOW DID BUFFY NOT MAKE THIS LIST!!!!!!!
I was thinking the exact same thing!!!!
Where is buffy?
And the Angel theme too. The way it eases in with the mellow strings...
@@voiceinthenoise3357 For Real that theme Hits!
A good, memorable title theme can draw an audience and keep them there through familiarity. Every one of these selections, I saw the title card, and the theme song immediately went through my head, even before the song itself was played.
This is a great list, it's amazing how many great theme songs didn't even make honorable mention, so many great ones.
I grew up with plenty of 80's family sitcoms, namely "Full House", "Family Ties" and "Growing Pains." "WandaVision" did an amazing job of replicating their opening themes in their 80's inspired episode, as well as other decades.
As Chinese, Growing Pains was the first American sitcom we saw.
Don't forget "Who's the Boss?", "The Cosby's Show", "ALF", "Small Wonder"... damn, so many great TVs back then...
Oh yes, I grew up on 80’s sitcoms as well! I may say it was the golden age of sitcoms. Speaking of golden, I rewatch ‘Golden Girls’ now on Disney+!
I appreciate how difficult it was to compile this list. However I sometimes got the impression that the WatchMojo team chose not according to the best theme songs but the most successful shows from a particular time period. And I was truly surprised that no mention was made of Star Trek, Mission Impossible or Hawaii 5-0, songs written in the 60's which continue to be impactful even today.
I was about to mention those exact 3 shows! They had truly memorable themes.
I have the very same impression! Hey, where are true classics like "Hawaii Five-O" and "Law & Order"?! Kinda lame list...
yeah that's why Watchmojo is not liked by many- i seem to notice they go by popularity w/ whatever the list is about which makes a lot not make it
I was hoping Firefly would be on here, how about Star Trek TNG too?
I am utterly amazed that the Hawaii Five-O theme did not make the list. Mojo dropped the ball ... again.
“The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp”, “Daniel Boone”, and “Davy Crockett” tv show (before it was made into “King of the Wild Frontier” and “Davy Crocket and the River Pirates”) all had pretty catchy themes. They are still stuck in my head.
Some of my favorites that you missed: Greatest American Hero, St. Elsewhere, All in the Family, Newhart, Taxi, Mary Tyler Moore, and WKRP
Taxi is a pretty one. The Rhodes Piano is a beautiful instrument
Game of thrones doesn’t at least get an honorable mention? That opening gives me chills!
Neither did Battlestar Galactica (orignal)
Game of Thrones has to be #1 on every theme song list
I was expecting it to be number 1 but they didn't even mention it!!!
You obviously are a millennial!
I feel like better call saul should be here cause its theme even had a meaning.
No Twin Peaks?
That had one of the most soothing yet scary themes in TV history :(
OMG. Had to be number One. Mojo is asleep on the job.
It’s like Angelo Badalamenti’s music is putting you under hypnosis and then you’ll be completely fine with whatever bonkers thing shows up on your screen in Twin Peaks lol
I said that one too.
I thought it was going to be number one…
Thanks for this comment. I don't have to watch the whole thing. 🤦🏻♂️
The theme from the original 'Mission: Impossible' series from the 1960s is iconic. Thought it might be on this list.
The Incredible Hulk, Psych, Star Trek, Dr. Who, House, all good themes worthy of an honorable mention.
The Game of Thrones theme could've been an honorable mention, despite the preposterous final season
I guess you are a die hard Daenerys fan who was butthurt because Jon did his duty?
I totally agree. Where was that at? One of the most iconic themes of the last like 10 years
Night Court theme was a whole jam! Funky and jazzy
A couple I feel that were missed. Peter Gunn theme song and Mission Impossible theme song. Both classics.
Theme song from Firefly is one of my favorites.. You can't take the sky from me, indeed.
You easily could have made this a top 100 list. You also could have (or probably should have) made a Top 20 for each decade.
Not exactly a song but how can you not include the theme from The Twilight Zone?
and twin peaks....won the emmy for that song
Does seem weird that the X-Files theme made the cut but Twilight Zone didn't.
This was such an iconic theme that to this day if someone goes "Do Do Do Do, Do Do Do Do, even someone who never saw the show would recognize it.
It is- Golden Earring
Agree big time
one of your best videos ever
Life goes On show from the early 90s ...the theme song was the Beetles' Obladi Oblada and sung by the cast
The Cheers theme is a classic.
How so? It claims that everyone's the same & has the same troubles.
It’s maybe a bit dated, but in a way it is true to a degree. We are really all human beings, and despite what some people will try to tell you, we all have our troubles, even if they are somewhat different.
@@Werten25 But different people have different personalities, different lifestyles & different troubles.
Yes. But we still have them regardless.
@@andrewjones575 The song is not about differences. It is about the shared qualities of the human condition. Everyone has troubles, everyone has a personality and lifestyle. Whether you understand them or not you need to recognize that at a very basic level every person is the same.
Here are a few others:
1. Good Times
2. Andy Griffith Show
3. I Dream of Jeannie
4. Star Trek
5. Dukes of Hazzard
And here are a few of mine 1. Green Acres 2. Silver Spoons 3. The Flintstones 4. Mary Tyler Moore 5. The Twilight Zone That's just a few of my faves I absolutely love TV theme songs💖I go on for days ✌️
How could they forgot Star Trek?
The A-team should have been on the list.
The Office?
All in the Family: "Those were the days" I still remember the lyrics to it.
One Day at a Time: "This is it" written by Gloria Estefan
Welcome Back, Kotter: "Welcome Back" made it to #1 on Billboard pop chart.
I would’ve added the MacGyver theme song to the list. Oh man that show gave me chills. Would’ve been happy if it got an honorable mention as well
For me.... The Lonely Man, theme song to the tv series The Incredible Hulk was my all time favorite!!! It was not only hauntingly Beautiful, but with the accompanied words during the show intro really painted an eerie picture for David Banner who because of the Hulk, is now a Lonely Man ❤️
The theme from The Rockford Files. Made it to the top ten on the charts.
The Original Magnum, P.I
Hawaii 5-0, SWAT theme, Baretta to name a few more.
One of my fave TV themes is from All in the Family. Simple as it was, every time Jean Stapleton belted out "and you knew where you were thennnnnnnn" in her iconic voice, made me smile
Those were the daaaaaays!
indeed
That was the first one I was expecting.
Most definitely
I really thought it was going to be No. 1! That or the Mission Impossible theme which strangely I've heard twice sung on the streets of Berlin, Germany this last week. I grew up in the 60s and 70s but never even heard some of these but I guess it depends on what shows you watched.
So, great list and I totally get why you didn't include it but the intro to the US version of House of Cards gets me EVERY time!
I love FRIENDS theme the most because the cast members were definitely there for one another, especially for Matthew. It leaves me in tears now
Bonanza - All In The Family - Rockford Files - Wild Wild West - Mission Impossible - Star Trek - AND SO MANY MORE!! You missed so many that were better than the ones you picked.
Theme from TAXI as well
Charlie's Angels, I Dream of Genie, The Lone Ranger, WKRP. Heck the Munsters theme song was so catch they reworked it into Wandavision.
The Simpsons
Really surprised you don’t have the Doctor Who Theme opening on here, new or old! It’s stayed consistent for over 50 years and has always been many people’s childhood!!
It seems they only care if its American TV shows.
@@redroobarb4562 exactly.
@@redroobarb4562 was thinking the same
@@redroobarb4562 It seems so but that’s really isn’t fair since they said “of all time” it should be across different countries if they make a Top 20 with that title
same! I just made that same comment before seeing your's. I so agree!!
Thanks for saving my phone! I was literally gonna throw it across the room if Cheers wasn't number One!!
The Kids in the Hall theme “Having an Average Weekend” by Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet is instrumental, iconic, evocative, nostalgic and gives me chills from the opening chord.
The disrespect doctor who is given. It literally has one of the most iconic, memorable and recognisable themes of all time and has done so for nearly 60 years.
It's a sound that brings comfort to everyone who hears it. (Except maybe Daleks)
For me, the "I Love Lucy" theme song will forever be the number one best theme song and tv series.
Should have been mentioned that the demand for "I'll Be There For You" to be released as a full length single by the Rembrandts after huge demand from the public led the song to have two extra verses added in the single version. It was the number one song in Canada in 1995 and hit #17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Friends had a great theme song
This is honestly a respectful list
I think "Fraggle Rock" and "Bill Nye the Science Guy" should've been in the honorable mentions.
Friends, ‘70s Show & Fresh Prince will always be on the top 5 for me. Cheers is great too. Maybe in a few years, Peacemaker will be in the mix. Love that intro!
I agree yeah
Love the Peacemaker intro!
oh yeah fresh prince of bel air was catchy. But Kids in the hall with that catch bass and Rescue me's theme song are like songs I feel good enough ppl could download to play in their car. They weren't just catchy theme songs like the rest or most that were just good for that, but just good songs. Something about kids in the hall, probably because the show was in the 90s. But that 90s bass vibe.
You might need to do a part 2, there are so many. Star trek, welcome back carter, law and order, the greatest american hero, buffy, good times, 90210, bay watch, and more
This is great. Please do another Television Theme Songs. Perhaps you could do decades. 😃👍
Hawaii 5 0 and Green Hornet. These two are genuine hit songs. You had the Addams Family but miss the Munsters.
Hawaii 50 sounds great decades later!
The X-Files should've been higher. This list brought back some awesome memories!
The theme song of the x files is meme a lot with illuminati
I too was surprised it wasn't higher.
Seriously was thinking the same
I remember about 18 years ago hearing the theme tune to x files that I was to scared to even go as the same room as the dvds because I was terrified of them
I agree with that!
My favorite theme songs in the list are 'Friends' and 'Malcolm in the Middle'. I also think the theme songs for 'Charmed' and 'Neighbours' were awesome. I would sing along to them everytime the shows came on.
The best is Woke up this morning ❤️
A glaring omission is “Believe it or Not” by Joey Scarbury, from “The Greatest American Hero.”
"Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)" is a song composed by Mike Post with lyrics by Stephen Geyer, and sung by American singer Joey Scarbury. It reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard hot 100 in 1981.
This song is much more memorable than the Full House theme.
I'm surprised I didn't see the theme for "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" or "Reading Rainbow"
WatchMojo you guys definitely need to do a part 2 😀
Honestly you could probably do a whole list just for kids show theme songs.
For me, y’all missed a few good ones:
Barney Miller - Bad ass baseline
Taxi - Just smoothe
Diff’rent Strokes - Great vocals
Perfect Strangers - Again, great vocals
Metalocalypse - Awesome metal
South Park - Just fun
Oh wait! As I’m writing this, I just realized the last 2 are animated. Oh well. I’ll still include them.
Perfect strangers is one of my all time favourites
The best T.V theme song to me is Addams Family theme song-and it went well past the original two-season sitcom-it was used for the 1990's Cartoon Network series, an instrumental version in the Broadway musical and both of the new Addams Family animated movies in which we even get the lyrics to sing-along to!
It was actually the theme song that attracted me to the series!
The Doctor Who theme has been iconic since its 1983 inception and the evolution of the song throughout the years has left it's mark on the pop culture landscape!
It was actually started in 1963, by Ron Grainer when the show first began
@@ynghunter41 And done by Delia Derbyshire by splicing physical tape. Pre-digital or computer.
Theme song from "The Wonder Years" deserves a mention
Yes!
Wasn’t that the Beatles’ song “with a little help from my friend”?
@@tarjan68 originally, yes. The Joe Cocker version (better version IMO) was used for The Wonder Years. Using that song they also created one of the best closing credit melodies IMO.
i think the list are songs written for the shows if not every CSI theme would be on this list (The Who)
Yep
The best imo: The Simpsons, Tales from the Crypt, Law and Order SVU and CI, 30 Rock, and Family Matters
After you mentioned show themes that made the pop charts, and since it hadn't appeared yet, I was expecting Hill Street Blues to be #1. It was a popular show too, with an ensemble cast who unfortunately were hardly heard from again.
I love the smallville theme,so nostalgic
Yes, very true 👍
Best theme song there is!
Yes it was amazing 👌🏻
forgot about that one yep along with Rescue me and Kids in the hall
The original ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ theme song is pretty good, 100 percent.
Agreed, many of my peers, who didn't even grow up with this show, are able to recite the opening theme, word for word.
yesss.. agreed 😌
"Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs" would definitely be a top 10 outro song.
Many great theme songs missed such as Perry Mason, Peter Gunn, All in the Family, The Rockford Files, I Love Lucy, Mad Men, Hawaii 5-0, Batman, and Barney MIller.
Mighty morphine power rangers is one that stands out for me.
Star Trek definitely should've been on this list!
loved them all here
The theme from St Elsewhere was huge. Should have been at least an honorable mention.
The Monkees theme song deserves a special mention
I'm totally agree
The second "Happy Days" intro was MUCH more iconic.
The first one was just Rock Around the Clock, which was a pre-existing song (though a fun one). But the visuals they used to accompany it were really clever.
Is there a part 2? Because this list NEEDS a part 2 (if there already isn't one). I mean:
Good Times
Dawson's Creek
Ally McBeal
Law & Order
Baywatch
...and so many more
One of my favorite themes was The Nanny. Loved it.
The theme to my favorite show of all time made it to the charts. The Rockford Files.
I love when TV shows had theme songs . Especially When they were catchy
and longer than 10 seconds.
It's obscure but the FX show What We Do in the Shadows has a great theme song/intro sequence. Some of HBO's shows have good ones too.
Can’t believe you didn’t include the theme song from The Rockford Files or the theme song to Law and Order. They are so much more memorable than some of the ones you have on this list.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show..."Love is all around". It's the one theme song that instantly came to my mind. Surprised not to see it here. Especially with the recent passings last year of Cloris, Ed, Gavin, and Betty. Last four stars of the show gone in one year.
That is my all-time favorite TV theme song 🎵 , as well ❤ 😊👌
The theme from M*A*S*H still gives me chills and goosebumps. It's just perfect
Especially if you ever saw the movie and know what the song is really referencing
@@jimcalhoun361
...& the lyrics were written by a 14-year-old!
Suicide is Painless. But it's really not.
@@susank8371
It could be if it instantaneously puts you
in a coma, from which you never wake up.
Of course, that all depends a lot
on methodology, judgement & luck.
The lyrics are great
"The Young and the Restless" theme should've made the list. When I was a kid and heard that piano intro I knew it was time to leave mom alone for an hour.
Maybe they do a list for just soap opera.
True
I prefer Bold and the Beautiful
@@fnraw_flash2064 That's a good one too; iconic, blaring sax intro.
Oh yes! It's so iconic!
It's been scientifically proven that the Tom Baker era version of the Doctor Who theme is the greatest TV theme song of all time.
Different Strokes. I still sing it every time I hear it
Welcome Back, Kotter's theme song hit number one on the charts... I kept waiting for it on the list... doh!
There are easily enough choices to do "another 20" list. These were all classics that there was no room for The Facts of Life, The A-Team, Baywatch, The Munsters, Diff'rent Strokes, Batman (Adam West), or The Mickey Mouse Club
YESSSSS with #1 being Cheers! My family & I began watching that through HULU or some streaming service & we all LOVE IT!
The sax jam from “Night Court”…should have received at least an honorable mention.
My Top 20
20: Buffy, The Vampire Slayer Theme
19: I've Been Searching My Soul, Ally McBeal
18: Love and Marriage, Married...With Children
17: Days of our Lives Theme
16: A Horse is a Horse, Mr. Ed
15: And Then There's Maude, Maude
14: Those Were The Days, All In The Family
13: Good Times Theme
12: All That, All That
11: That's So Raven
10: Rugrats Theme
9: The Young and the Restless Theme
8: Game of Thrones Theme
7: Beverly Hills, 90210 Theme
6: Unsolved Mysteries Theme
5: Fresh Prince of Bel Air Theme
4: Movin On Up, The Jeffersons
3: MASH Theme
2: Thank You For Being A Friend, Golden Girls
1: Sesame Street (First song I learned to sing start to finish)
Hill Street Blues , anyone?
@@rexhoward2167 If you're going to go with cop shows, Barney Miller should have made the cut too
@@jimcalhoun361 I agree, I didn’t think about Barney Miller, but you are correct.
How on earth is The Office theme not here? With its resurgence on streaming, you'd think it would be included.
There's a lot of theme songs that deserved to be on this list
What?! The theme from the original Hawaii Five-O didn’t make the cut? It was a huge hit when I was a kid. And Greatest American Hero theme is a playlist favorite of mine.
Doctor Who has one of the catchiest themes I ever heard. I’m surprised it didn’t make it into this video.
I feel the same way, should def be on the list, as well as it should also be #1.
Charmed, That 70's Show, Smallville, and One Tree Hill have some of the best theme songs ever.
not even top 5 of that era - 1. Roswell 2. Felicity 3. Angel 4. Buffy. 5. Dawson's Creek
Fun fact: My cousin played Aquaman in Smallville.
@@SonofTuscon99 looks like nobody cares🤣😆
your tastes are very questionable
No Airwolf? I'm surprised not to find that theme song in there, I still listen to the extended version 🤗 Other than that, great list 😉
I was getting ready to riot when I thought Cheers would be left out
Mike Post made great themes, like Hill Street Blues or Magnum PI. Also, there are some great 60s and 70s themes in Great Britain, such as The Avengers or The Prisoner (with Patrick McGoohan), also Thunderbirds or Department S. Someone here mentioned I Dream of Genie and The Andy Griffith Show. Lost in Space and Star Trek are iconic. What about Six Million Dollar Man? There are so many themes that became legendary.
I dream of Genie 2nd season on. The first season not so much. It's funny but right now I am watching that show on Amazon. I am almost through 2nd season. And wow, yeah I forgot about those others. Six Million Dollar Man (another theme song that told the story). Battlestar Galactica, Space 1999, and yes the Avengers. The Prisoner theme was OK. But leaving off Star Trek? I would say that and Star Wars are probably the most recognized theme songs. Though Star Wars was a movie. Oh and if you want to add in British shows then Benny Hill...I remember staying up late on Saturdays to watch that show :)
Oh and let's not forget all the teen boys favorite show...Wonder Woman
To this day I still listen to Greatest American Hero and Welcome Back Kotter songs.
It’s short, but I Love Lucy’s theme will always be one of my favorites!
Which version the instrumental or the one with the lyrics
@@Jamessmith-xk3fh oooooh. If you bring in the lyric one then yeah. Honestly, both are great!
@@TheVidiots1992 I have the I Love Lucy DVD box set
@@Jamessmith-xk3fh Me too! My mom got me into the show when I was young. Been watching ever since!
My favorite TV theme song is Smallville: " SOMEBODY SAAAAVE MEEEEE" !!!!!!
Talk About awesome theme songs
Wait a minute... the theme songs from the Monkees, The Andy Griffith Show, Hawaii 5-0, and Mission Impossible didn't make the list?
I feel like Family Ties, The Dukes of Hazzard and The Greatest American Hero should have at least gotten honorable mentions!
I've seen Friends, The Jeffersons, Sesame Street, The X-files, and The Addams Family theme song. These are great shows. I have also heard The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Cheers, and the Knight Rider theme song. They were all catchy. Amazing list.
I think the one thing we can agree on about this list is that people will disagree with the shows appear here. I myself question why some were included (Dallas, Three's Company, Full House) and some, which to this day are instantly recognizable, were omitted (The Twillight Zone, Bonanza, The Rockford Files, Green Acres). I never watched Rockford or Green Acres but I remember putting them on just to I hear the theme song. Who doesn't immediately picture sand, surf, and rolling waves when hearing the Hawaii Five-O theme? Some were such hits that they made it onto the pop charts (Welcome Back Kotter, Bosom Buddies, Rockford Files, Green Acres, Hill Street Blues to name a few). I agree with some of the other commentors about doing a Top 20 or so from each decade to include some of the great themes not mentioned here.